Known for his emotionally charged hit songs like “Dilaw,” “Kailan,” and “Namumula,” OPM artist Maki's popularity has steadily grown, leading to successful concerts in and outside the country. During his interview with PUSH Bets, Maki admitted that he initially felt hesitant to show his vulnerable side through his songs when he first started out in the music industry.
“Nung una, Oo. Dapat hindi ko iri-release yung 'Saan, Bakit, at Kailan' kasi I was really shy. Na parang mag-fi-feeling yung ex ko, feeling! Yun talaga, pag narinig niya ‘to. Pero sabi ko, pero yun yung totoo eh. That’s real. So parang sabi ko, I need to do something for my career to save it. Kasi wala pa man din, wala ng nakikinig sa ‘yo, wala na agad yung career mo. So yung label ko, they told me to just pass it. So nung time na yun nahihiya talaga ako, but at the same time, I feel really proud kasi I made these kinds of songs.
"As an artist kasi, public figure na din, one thing that people like is getting to know a person and how they think. And yung mga ganung bagay, yung mga songs ko na yun, may mga nagtatanong nga sa akin kasi hindi nila alam na ako yung nagsulat. Pero as time goes by naman, na-le-learn ko naman to set boundaries din. Kung ano yung puwede ko alng sulatin at hindi. Weird naman na lahat ilalagay ko dun di ba? Pero I really love being transparent with my fans,” he told PUSH Bets.
READ: Maki reveals how he handled rejections in the past: ‘It’s hard to be soft’
During the interview, Maki also shared what he thinks is the reason his songs like “Kahel na Langit” were such a big hit, especially with the Gen Z crowd.
“Actually, hindi nga lang Gen Z ang naka-relate dito eh. Surprisingly, as in naging wide yung audience nung song. It’s because it really talks about the person na never na natin nakikita, but we still think of them. Nung time kasi na yun (sinusulat ko pa), sobrang it was a moment for me na parang pagod na pagod ako sa work, dire-diretso yung nangyari sa akin. Wala akong pahinga. Tapos parang na-realize ko before I sleep, wala pala akong nakakausap. Parang wala akong nasasabihan, wala akong nasusumbungan,” he said.
The talented OPM singer and songwriter also revealed the inspiration which led him to come out with the composition and how that one song defined his whole songwriting process.
“Parang I remember the time when this person became my safety net and I would always rant to this person. Parang na-miss ko yung ganung feeling na okay lang na maraming kang achievements, marami kang validations, but at the end of the day, sino bang kumakausap sa ‘yo? Sino bang kumakamusta sa ‘yo? So malaking hugot talaga yung life experiences ko and the films that I watch. Poetry as well.
"For 'Kahel na Langit' kasi, I describe love as fleeting and forever at the same time. Yung parang kumbaga, everyday that we wake up and before we sleep, the sunset and sunrise, parang yung mga fleeting moments na yun, dun mo naaalala yung person na yun. But for some reason, bakit forever nangyayari yun. Para sa akin, yung kanta na yun talaga, it really defined how I write my songs,” he admitted.
READ: Maki talks about growing up with 6 siblings: ‘Hindi ko masyado na-maximize yung pagkabata ko’
The Kolorcoaster artist also shared what would be the worst kind of heartbreak he could ever experience in his life.
“Para sa akin, worst heartbreak is yung splitting up with your best friend. Mas masakit pa yun kesa sa jowa eh. Para sa akin kasi, pag may best friend talaga ako, ginagawa ko lahat eh. So pag nag-break yung mga mag-best friend, parang ang laking dagok din sa akin. And it’s really sad when you outgrow people,” he said.